Railroad-tie.



I. 0. SPEAKER.

RAILRGAD TIE. APPLICATION FILED FEB.18. 1907.

PATENTED OCT. 1, 1907,

1min eases rouse. SPEAKER, OF MAGNOLIA, 01110.

RAILROAD-TIE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 18,1907. Serial 110.358.140-

To all 'whom it may concern:

-Be it known that I, J HN C. SPEAKER, a citizen the United States, residing at Magnolia, in the county of; Stark and State of Ohio have invented certain newand useful Improvements'in Railroad-Ties; of which the iollowingis a. specification,- reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates, to improvements inrailroad cross ties constructed of plastic material, and it con-- sists of the 'novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter, described and claimed.

The object oi the invention is to provide a tie of this character which may be produced at a small cost, which will be strong and durable in use, and upon which the track rails may be readily fastened.'

The above and other objects, whichwill appear as the nature of the" invention is better understood; are accomplished by the improved construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings; inwhich- I 4 Figure 1 is a perspective view of one'of my improved cross ties, showing one of the'traek rails secured there- I on; 2 is avertical longitudinal sectionof the tie;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on theplane indi I cated by the line 33 in Fig. 2;. andFig. 4 is a perspective' view 'oione of the metallic reinforcing plates or 'in'embersoithetie; My improved railway cioss tie comprises a rectangularbodyal-molded of concrete or other suitable plastic material and Having in its top'adjacent to its ends transversely extending seats 2,: the walls 3 of which are un- .der cut so that said seatsare oi dove-tail shape. These seats are adapted to receive wooden blocks ,4 upon the tops of which are secured by spikes or other suitable fastenings 5 the rails 6-. The blocks 4 correspond in shape to the transverse'grooves or seats 2,' that is their side edges are beveled upwardly and inwardly so that'the blocks when driven-laterally or transversely oithe tie.,and into said sea'ts,-will be effectively re tained therein. j

It will be notedupon reference to the drawing that the blocks 4 arethicker or higher thanithe depth of the seats 2 so that the rails will be supported in a plane above that of the'top of the tie.

In order to strengthen the plastic body of the tie and prevent it from breaking, I embed in it one or more longitudinallyextending reinforcing members 7 Each of the latter is in the form of 'a flat metal plate arranged in an upright or vertical position in the tie'and having its upper edge formed .With transverse recesses or seats" 80f the same size and-shape as theseats 2 in the tie with which'seatsthey are adaptedito register, as clearly" shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The reinforcing plate '7, is entirely embedded in the body oithe tie, as shown in Fig. 2, but in order to mpreefiectively anchor it, I form adjacent as s r asi tl s s ll extending slots 9 which are filled with the plastic material of the body when the tie is molded.

If desired, the reinforcing plate 7 may be strengthened and still further anchored in the tie by bending its bottom edge at right angles to provide the horizontal reinforcing flange 10. When this is done, the plate 7 is of L-shape in cross section, as clearly shown in Figs. 3

Patented Oct. 1, 1 eo7.

and 4. The flange 10 may however be omitted when the plate 7 is of suflicient thickness to give the .tie ,th

v requisite strength.

In producing the tie,- a suitable mold is provided and one or moreof the reiniorcing plates or members 7 is supported in it with suitable form blocks arranged in the seats 8.' The plastic material is then filled in the mold around the member or inembers7 and the form blocks which latter, of course, correspond inshape to the blocks 4. After the plastic material has set the form blocks may be removed so that the wooden blocks 4 may be driven in the seats 20f the tie when the tie .is ready for use.

From the foregoing it. will be observed that my improved tie, may be produced at a comparatively small cost; that it is strong and durable and not liable to be I easily cracked or broken; that the track rails may beeasily applied to and removed from it and that the provision of the seats 2 permits the blocks 4 to be replaced when they are worn or rotten. It will also be observed- .that the blocks may be replaced without removing the ties from beneath the track rails. I

It is also apparent that the rectangular body 1 may be formed of metal or other material and the reinforcing member 7 omitted. where the material used is of such a nature as not to require reinforcement; hence. I donot desire to be restricted to the exact construction ammrangement shown, as minor changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacri-- ficing any of its advantages.

lilavi'ng thus described my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

H 1. A cross tie comprising a body of plastic material having seats in its top for track supporting blocks, and a longitudinally extending metallic reinforcing member embedded in said body and having seats. to register with the seats in said body.

2. A cross. tie. comprising-a body of plasticmaterial.

formed in its top with transversely extending undercut what claim seats and a metallic reinforcing plate embedded in the .body and arranged longitudinally thereof in an upright position, the upper edge 'of said plate being'for'med with undercut seats or recesses to register with the seats said body; I

3. A cross tie comprising a body of plastic material formed'in its .top with transversely extendingdove-tafl seats, ametaiiic reinforcing plate embedded in the belly .110: the upper edge of said plate being formed with dovetailj and arranged longitudinally thereof in an upright position,

s'eats 'er recesses to register with'the s'eats said body doyetaii blocks- .or wood driven into] said seats versely of the tie and. having their upper surfaces in a I plane above the top ofthe tie for supporting track rails.

4. A cross tie comprising a body. of plastic material having'a seat in its ;top for a track supporting block and a metallic reinforcing member embedded in said body and having a seat to register with the seat in said body.

5. A cross tie comprising a body of plastic material having seats in its top for track supporting blocks and a longitudinally extending metallic reinforcing member embedded in said body and having seats to register with the seats in said body, said member also having openings for the reception of plastic material of the body, substantially as set forth.

6. A cross tie comprising a body of plastic material having seats in its top for track supporting blocks and the longitudinally extending metallic reinforcing plate 7 formed'witira lateral flange 10 at 'its bottom and with openings 9 and seats 8, said seats being in its upper edge and adapted to register with the seats in said body, sub- 

